Melaleuca argentea

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Silver cajuput
Melaleuca argentea.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. argentea
Binomial name
Melaleuca argentea

Melaleuca argentea, commonly known as the silver cajuput, silver cadjeput or silver-leaved paperbark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is a common tree along river banks or around swamps in the tropics. It has papery bark and weeping foliage and has been the subject of important scientific research.

Contents

Description

Melaleuca argentea is a tree usually to 8 m (30 ft) but sometimes to 20 m (70 ft). The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are elliptic, straight or sickle-shaped, 50–130 mm (2–5 in) long, about 7–24 mm (0.3–0.9 in) wide and have 5 to 9 longitudinal veins. Mature leaves are pale, silvery green and the young growth is soft, silvery and covered with silky soft hairs. The leaves are aromatic when crushed. [2] [3] [4]

The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The spikes contain 5 to 20 groups of flowers in threes and are up to 30 mm (1 in) in diameter. The petals are about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and fall off as the flower ages. The stamens are in 5 bundles around the flower with 7 to 9 stamens per bundle. Flowering occurs in most months of the year and is followed by fruit which are woody, cup-shaped to cylindrical capsules, 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) in diameter and loosely spaced along the branches. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca argentea was first formally described in 1918 by William Fitzgerald in "Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia" from specimens he collected from the "Isdell, Charnley, Fitzroy, Ord, Denham Rivers, etc." [1] The specific epithet (argentea) is from the Latin argenteus, meaning "silvery". [2]

Distribution and habitat

Silver cajuput occurs in the Kimberley district of Western Australia, the Top End of the Northern Territory and north Queensland. [3] Forests of M. argentea occur along swampy drainage lines in similar niches to Melaleuca quinquenervia which they displace in the far northern coastal portions of the wet tropics bioregion. [5]

Ecology

The life span of this species has been determined to be greater than 20 years. It first forms seeds at the age of 6–10 years and recovers from fire by regrowing from a lignotuber. [6]

Conservation status

Melaleuca argentea is classified as "not threatened" in Western Australia by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Uses

Horticulture

This tree described as a "handsome, weeping, silver-leaved tree" is suitable for tropical and sub-tropical areas. It is used as an ornamental tree in Brisbane. [3]

Scientific research

Research has been undertaken to determine the water use characteristics of Melaleuca argentea in the Pilbara region of Western Australia so that its response to changes in water levels over time can be predicted. [8] Daily and seasonal water use patterns of this species have also been determined. The information is important because vegetation along riverbanks protects water quality, regulating stream temperature (through shading), water turbidity and river bank stability. Riparian communities are important wildlife corridors and often have higher biodiversity than surrounding ecosystems. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Melaleuca quinquenervia</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca quinquenervia, commonly known as the broad-leaved paperbark, paper bark tea tree, punk tree or niaouli, is a small- to medium-sized tree of the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It grows as a spreading tree up to 20 m (70 ft) tall, with its trunk covered by a white, beige and grey thick papery bark. The grey-green leaves are egg-shaped, and cream or white bottlebrush-like flowers appear from late spring to autumn. It was first formally described in 1797 by the Spanish naturalist Antonio José Cavanilles.

<i>Melaleuca linariifolia</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca linariifolia is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is commonly known as snow-in-summer, narrow-leaved paperbark, flax-leaved paperbark and in the language of the Gadigal people as budjur. A hardy plant, it flowers prolifically in late spring or summer, making it a popular garden shrub or small tree in temperate places. Melaleuca trichostachya is a similar species but its leaves are arranged differently and the fruits have projecting valves.

<i>Melaleuca preissiana</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca preissiana, commonly known as stout paperbark, modong or moonah, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of southwest Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with papery bark, small leaves and spikes of usually white flowers. It occurs chiefly in areas that are seasonally wet.

Ord Victoria Plain Region in Australia

The Ord Victoria Plain, an interim Australian bioregion, is located in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, comprising 12,540,703 hectares.

<i>Melaleuca leucadendra</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca leucadendra, commonly known as weeping paperbark, long-leaved paperbark or white paperbark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is widespread in northern Australia, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands. It is a tree, sometimes growing to more than 20 m (70 ft) with a trunk covered with thick, white, papery bark and weeping thinner branches. It has a long flowering season, can flower at almost any time of the year and is often grown as a tree in parks and on roadsides. It was the first melaleuca to be described and was described from a specimen growing in Indonesia.

<i>Melaleuca viminalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca viminalis, commonly known as weeping bottlebrush, or creek bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. It is a multi-trunked, large shrub or tree with hard bark, often pendulous foliage and large numbers of bright red bottlebrush flowers in spring and summer. It is possibly the most commonly cultivated melaleuca in gardens and its cultivars are often grown in many countries.

<i>Melaleuca viridiflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca viridiflora, commonly known as broad-leaved paperbark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to woodlands, swamps and streams of monsoonal areas of northern Australia and New Guinea. It is usually a small tree with an open canopy, papery bark and spikes of cream, yellow, green or red flowers.

<i>Melaleuca trichostachya</i> Species of plant

Melaleuca trichostachya is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to inland northern New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory in Australia. It is a small tree, similar to the commonly cultivated Melaleuca styphelioides, with its prickly foliage and fluffy spikes of white or cream flowers but there are differences in the leaf arrangement and fruiting capsules.

<i>Melaleuca halmaturorum</i> Species of plant

Melaleuca halmaturorum, commonly known as South Australian swamp paperbark, kangaroo honey-myrtle or salt paper-bark is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. It is often a tree with an unusual, crooked form, sometimes looking like an enlarged example of bonsai.

<i>Melaleuca fulgens</i> Species of plant

Melaleuca fulgens, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is notable for its showy orange, red or purple flowers, unusual foliage and fruit, and is a popular garden plant. It is a member of Melaleuca, a large and diverse genus whose members range from large trees such as M. quinquenervia, to small shrubs.

Melaleuca venusta is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with silvery leaves and heads of pink to purple flowers which fade to white and with a restricted distribution, north of the Murchison River district.

<i>Melaleuca alsophila</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca alsophila, commonly known as the saltwater paperbark, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the north of Western Australia. It is a dense shrub or small tree with fibrous or papery bark and is common in areas seasonally inundated during the wet season.

<i>Melaleuca minutifolia</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca minutifolia, commonly known as teatree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. As suggested by its name, it has tiny leaves but it also produces creamy white to white flowers throughout the year in its native range.

<i>Melaleuca bracteata</i> Species of tree


Melaleuca bracteata, commonly known as the black tea-tree, river tea-tree or mock olive is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It usually occurs as a large shrub but under ideal conditions can grow into a tree up to 10 m (30 ft) tall. It is an adaptable species in cultivation and a number of cultivars have been developed.

<i>Melaleuca dealbata</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca dealbata, commonly known as karnbor or blue paperbark, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to tropical areas in northern Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia. It is a medium to large leafy tree, growing in wet areas such as on the edges of coastal lagoons. It has papery bark, relatively large, blue-green leaves and spikes of cream-coloured flowers over a long period.

<i>Melaleuca glomerata</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca glomerata, commonly known as the desert honey-myrtle, inland paperbark or white tea-tree is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae native to inland Australia. It is a small tree or shrub growing in arid areas, often in creek beds and shallow depressions.

<i>Melaleuca nervosa</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca nervosa, commonly known as fibrebark, is a shrub or tree in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. It is a narrow-leaved, tropical paperbark with yellow-green and red-flowering forms. As with some other melaleucas, this species has many uses to Indigenous Australians.

<i>Melaleuca fluviatilis</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca fluviatilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Queensland in Australia. It is a tree with papery bark, narrow leaves and spikes of white or creamy-coloured flowers, usually growing along streams and rivers. It is common in tropical areas and is sometimes confused with Melaleuca argentea although it lacks that species' silvery foliage.

<i>Melaleuca foliolosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca foliolosa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Queensland in Australia. It is distinguished by it very small leaves which are pressed against the stem and almost overlap each other.

<i>Melaleuca lasiandra</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca lasiandra is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to the northern inland of Australia. Its foliage is covered with soft, silky hairs giving the leaves a silvery-grey appearance and even the filaments of the stamens are hairy.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca argentea". APNI. Retrieved 7 March 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Brophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. p. 79. ISBN   9781922137517.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. pp. 22–23. ISBN   1876334983.
  4. 1 2 "Melaleuca argentea". Australian tropical rainforest plants. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  5. "Sclerophyll forests and woodlands of the wet tropics bioregion" (PDF). Wet tropic management authority. Retrieved 7 March 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  6. "Fire responses of Melaleuca argentea". Northern lands manager. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  7. "Melaleuca argentea". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  8. "Determining water level ranges of Pilbara riparian species" (PDF). Government of Western Australia department of water. Retrieved 7 March 2015.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  9. O'Grady, A.P.; Eamus, D.; Cook, P.G.; Lamontagne, S. (2005). "Comparative water use by the riparian trees Melaleuca argentea and Corymbia bella in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia". Tree Physiology. 26 (2): 219–228. doi: 10.1093/treephys/26.2.219 . PMID   16356919.